Another golden moment for Monroe County high school wrestlers

BETHLEHEM — East Stroudsburg South senior Colby Ems needs no directions to Hershey. He's got that part down.

Stroudsburg sophomore Jake Jakobsen figures this won't be his last trip to the PIAA championships.

Ems solidified his third trip to the state wrestling tournament, while Jakobsen punched his first ticket Saturday at the Northeast Regional Class AAA tournament at Liberty High School.

Ems won the 138-pound title, while Jakobsen (38-5) won gold at 170 pounds after both claimed District 11 gold a week ago.

It's been an impressive season for Ems (33-1), who won his school-record 114th career match with a 14-5 victory over Easton's James Saylor in the final. Ems passed East Stroudsburg North's Brian Caiazzo, who won 112 matches. Ems is also ES South's first three-time PIAA qualifier.

"Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'm going to be like, 'Oh my God. Oh my God. I cannot wait for this tournament,'" said Ems, who received and accepted a prom proposal while on the medals podium from his girlfriend, Johannah Alpaugh.

The state tournament has been one of heartbreak for the Cavalier in years' past. He went 1-2 last year and failed to medal in his second trip after being 0-2 and out of the tournament as a sophomore. This time things are looking up.

At the regional, he won by fall, edged Delaware Valley's Frankie Carrozza 3-1 in the semifinal, before taking Saylor down six times in the first two periods of the final.

His coach, Randy Litts, said after last year's state tournament that Ems had one of two directions to pick and now he's clearly on the road to a PIAA medal that has eluded him.

For Jakobsen, his 38-win sophomore season speaks for itself. He won district gold and now has a region title under his belt after a 5-3 victory over Idris White of Father Judge, the District 12 champ.

"It feels good and I have momentum going into states," Jakobsen said. "Just this week, going to practice, working hard, and just knowing I'm going to be out there for the first time. I hope to get on the podium. My goal is to take top four."

His confidence has grown. Jakobsen's victory over White came against a wrestler ranked higher than he was. Jakobsen's escape and takedown in the third period solidified his victory in the final.

"I'm going to wrestle the same way I've been wrestling," Jakobsen said.

It was a disappointing finish for others.

Stroudsburg's James Palmisano (182) and Cody Cooper (285) each fell in the consolation final.

Palmisano fell 5-2 to District 2 champ Jared Wehrmann of Wallenpaupack after the two wrestlers were tied at 2 headed into the third period. Wehrman earned an escape to start the third and Palmisano was unable to score a takedown, and even gave up one at the buzzer.

At 285, Cooper was in control 6-1 against Joe Hansbury of Archbishop Ryan, the District 12 champion. But Cooper, who was silver at the district tournament a week ago, was turned twice in the second period. Cooper gave up eight straight points in the period and never recovered in an 11-9 loss.

Notes — At 113, tough end for KJ Fenstermacher of Liberty. District 11 champ was the Outstanding wrestler there, but was eliminated in the consolation semifinal "» Very tough round for local wrestlers in the consolation semifinals. Locals went a combined 2-4. Three of those losses (ESS Byrne, Stroudsburg's Cassano and PME Palys) all suffered one-point defeats "» 9 finals featured 2 District 11 wrestlers. "» of 28 finalists, 23 from D-11 "» Parkland's Ethan Lizak won his fourth NE Region title "» Nazareth won the team title with 159.5 points, advancing seven wrestlers.